New USA Target-Sets 5827-5832, 5836, 5838, 5842, and...4775(!)

[Justindo]

I spent a lot more than $3.99 for the previously somewhat rare centurion in 5827 on ebay last year!    Still, I'm glad to see the re-release of these early Roman Specials and some other recycled Roman items, especially 5841 and 5837, although some new Roman items would be even more welcome.

I like the Celtic shield in 5831 and the blond klicky, with new hair, would be a good barbarian for the Romans or could work as is for the medieval theme.  I don't care much for the rest of the set.

[starhorse]

Hello starhorse,
May I copy your photos to add to PlaymoDB?  USA-only sets are harder to find good pictures of, since they often don't turn up on any official website, so I'm very glad to see these.  I'd also love to have large clear scans of the instructions, if you can manage it, so I can get the sets inventoried.  Thanks!
Cheers, Heather

Hi Heather,

Yes, please do use the images if you'd like.  I took them all at the store, but I did end up buying the smaller forestmen set.  I'll try to take some pictures of the instructions for you tomorrow.

[playmofire]

Thanks for the pictures, Hadque, and the link, starhorse.

There seems to be a new fire pump system in the small set, but as regard the fire engines, they don't attract me at all I'm afraid.  Like the ghost pirates, Playmobil seems to be copying cheaper products here.  I can't remember the name of the range, but Tim Tierman probably can as, but a fire engine very similar to the new Playmobil one (and with figures) has been on the market for some years.  The fire helicopter looks small for the job I think.

Rasputin, there used to be a 123 motorcycle which made an engine noise.  Playmobil very wisely made it so the parent could switch it off!

I wonder if  any of the locker doors on the fire engines open?

What I want to see is a fire engine based on the Unimog, like the new construction truck, so I hope that there'll be a European fire engine to come.

[playmofire]

I've found the range I was thinking of, here's a picture, although it's not as much like the new PM ones as I thought.  But there are also a number of other ranges in stores such as Asda and Woolworth's which the new PM truck still more closely resembles mind, and I probably had these in.

[Martin Milner]

Thanks for all the work getting the pictrures up guys. Hadoque, could we see  tower out of the pack? I'm particularly interested to know if the big ugly handle can be easily removed. This tower could be used in a lot of different situations if that part is not visible, and the door could be replaced with a plain wooden one.

I think Heather is now on very firm ground creating a "Fantasy Knights" category for some of these sets. Maybe we need three streams - pre-2004, post-2004, and Fantasy.

The 5841 Romans' Camp uses an old baseplate from a Viking/Knight crossover  Seper Set, so nothing new there for me The re-release of some older specials like the 5827 Roman Blister Pack is certainly going to annoy some eBay sellers and buyers, and if Playmobil are going to do this a lot may knacker the Playmobil re-traders in the long run.  I'd like to get the Roman in the longer robes as a temple guard, and not at eBay prices.

The fire truck - maybe it'll grow on people, but are RED lights correct?

The 5837 "half arena" set would be useful for people like me who have one arena and want to replace some thin walls with a second gate if they haven't already done this through spares, though I see it lacks any extra seating. It may be cheaper just to get all the parts, if they have them all, as I don't need the figures or chariot now.

[playmofire]

The fire truck - maybe it'll grow on people, but are RED lights correct?

Yes and No.  It varies from state to state I understand.  Some states have all red lights, some red and blue and I think some just blue!

Maybe Playmobil are thinking of having two product ranges - their main one and one via Target aimed more specifically at the US market.

[Timotheos]

Hi Martin I agree with your commentary and share your views.  Actually, your suggestions for the arena helped me to see some use for it.  I'm disappointed that both the two-pack with the tiger and the mini-arena come with the Ethiopian gladiator.  He was hard-to-get before he came out in the Target blister pack last spring now he is--pardon my french--ubiquitous.

The re-release of some older specials like the 5827 Roman Blister Pack is certainly going to annoy some eBay sellers and buyers, and if Playmobil are going to do this a lot may knacker the Playmobil re-traders in the long run.  I'd like to get the Roman in the longer robes as a temple guard, and not at eBay prices.

Every playmobil collector benefits by the ebay re-trade market getting some of its stuffing knocked out.  Prices ought to come down if people speculate something might be re-released next year and maybe those ebay sharks will stop competing with us at auctions and at Target.

I'm glad to see the "classic Romans" re-released, though I would have preferred an archer and yellow-shorts-guy.  I may recast the gowned-tribune into a Persian.  As for temple guard... cough, cough... Martin, you ought to know better!  Regular legionaires would do for that.  Imperial palace guards (the praetorians) actually wore civilian tunics and togas, if Osprey is to be believed.  They dressed this way I guess to downplay their presence, or maybe because people thought it looked better, like American secret service men wearing suits with ties instead of kevlar helmets and combat fatigues.

But thanks again for the helpful commentary.
-Tim

[Martin Milner]

Hi Martin I agree with your commentary and share your views.  Actually, your suggestions for the arena helped me to see some use for it.  I'm disappointed that both the two-pack with the tiger and the mini-arena come with the Ethiopian gladiator.  He was hard-to-get before he came out in the Target blister pack last spring now he is--pardon my french--ubiquitous.

Every playmobil collector benefits by the ebay re-trade market getting some of its stuffing knocked out.  Prices ought to come down if people speculate something might be re-released next year and maybe those ebay sharks will stop competing with us at auctions and at Target.

I'm glad to see the "classic Romans" re-released, though I would have preferred an archer and yellow-shorts-guy.  I may recast the gowned-tribune into a Persian.  As for temple guard... cough, cough... Martin, you ought to know better!  Regular legionaires would do for that.  Imperial palace guards (the praetorians) actually wore civilian tunics and togas, if Osprey is to be believed.  They dressed this way I guess to downplay their presence, or maybe because people thought it looked better, like American secret service men wearing suits with ties instead of kevlar helmets and combat fatigues.

But thanks again for the helpful commentary.
-Tim

LOL well I was posting at 7:30am, I wasn't fully awake. I think the gowned figure is more useful than the other, but I'll be grabbing a few of these blister packs if they appear in the UK.

The archer has only officially appeared with the 4276 ship and the 4275 siege tower so far, and orange-pants with the 4273 General's tent. It'd be nice if they'd release the pair in a blister, or maybe do a DS 3 pack of Roman Auxiliaries.

[LHAAP]

I don't like the new fire engine. It's just too American for me (But of course, it is only for that market).

I hope the new engines, coming next year , will be more like the traditional Playmobil ones.

[Rasputin]

Oh ya i will stock up on these